The other party spoke so kindly that to pester further would make their intentions too obvious.
Ma Songhan smiled and reached out to shake hands with Tang's father.
"Then we'll have to trouble Mr. Tang. We'll be waiting at home. Please inform us once things are arranged."
The group of people, having finished their business, took He Yao back to their home.
As the main door closed, Tang's father breathed a sigh of relief, dropping the pretense from his face. He looked sternly at Tang's mother.
"I told you long ago that Rui Rui hasn't been normal lately and needed timely intervention. But you insisted on stopping me. Now look, something has truly happened."
Tang's mother also hadn't expected such an event, her face filled with disbelief and regret.
"Rui Rui grew up with us. If others don't know his temperament, don't you and I? He's always been such a sensible and well-behaved child, just a bit cold."
"I thought it was a good thing for him to finally be willing to interact with people. Who knew..."
Tang Nannan came out and interrupted their conversation.
"Alright, he's grown up. Especially during puberty, it's normal for him to have his own thoughts. Neither of you intentionally made him this way, so there's no need to blame yourselves."
"Besides, are you so sure this was his doing? What if those people..."
Hu Jiasheng picked up where she left off.
"Regardless of whether they had a plan all along or if Rui Rui acted out of adolescent impulse, given the situation, Dad did the right thing."
"The saying goes, the barefoot aren't afraid of the shod. If they have no shame, Rui Rui must have it, the Zhan family must have it, and Mom and Dad must have it too. If we insist on investigating the truth and it becomes public at school, spreading online..."
Tang Nannan understood the underlying stakes and fell silent.
"I'm not entirely clear about the street he mentioned. Dad, roughly how much are the property values in that area?"
Tang's father said, "It's not a good area, not worth much. And you should be grateful for that. They were after money, they didn't really want to blow things up."
"Problems that can be solved with money are not problems. Let this matter rest. There's no need to let A Jue and Nan Fang know. And let's not expose it."
"Rui Rui is already proud and cold-tempered. If he knew that all of us knew his secret and did this behind his back, he wouldn't be able to bear it."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
After a moment of silence, Tang Nannan spoke again.
"Understood. This matter will be handled by Ah Sheng and me. We'll definitely deal with it properly. But there are limits to hospital fees, and for nutrition expenses..."
Hu Jiasheng put his arm around her shoulders and led her back inside.
"It's cold outside, let's talk inside."
"That Ma Songhan looks like a very calculating person. We can't spend money and still be manipulated by him. I'll have someone check his workplace, and also draft an agreement."
"We must ensure that he keeps this matter buried forever."
Over at He Yao's place, as soon as they entered, her aunt started with sarcastic remarks.
"Oh my, what's the use of having money if you look down on people with your nose in the air?"
"Look how arrogant they are, they wouldn't even let us in after such a big incident! I say, Songhan, sister, you two are too big-hearted! Since you're convinced it was their child who did it..."
He Yao stopped in her tracks, her gaze chillingly fixed on her aunt, scaring the latter into silence.
"I... I was just speaking up for you."
He Yao let out a cold laugh, laughing at her own ridiculous fate and at these ridiculous adults.
"Speaking up for me? I think you'd all be delighted if Zhan Jingrui and I had something going on."
"If I got involved with a son from a rich family, you could all come to their door and ask for some money. You wouldn't have raised me all these years in vain. It's time to see a return on investment, you should be happy!"
He Yao's mother, who had been fuming at her daughter for a while and had just endured being looked down upon at the Zhan family, was at her limit.
Pointing at He Yao's head with her finger, she angrily scolded.
"Shut up! Don't make me slap you! You committed a disgraceful act and still have the nerve to talk back, do you think you can walk all over us?"
"Auntie is absolutely right! Look at their attitude just now, we shouldn't have compromised! Your youth is priceless, and you think a shabby house is enough to settle it..."
In the end, it all came down to money.
At this moment, He Yao had completely given up on this family, on this mother.
She wasn't their child; she was merely the product of a love-obsessed mind.
Perhaps if she died, her mother would be happier, no longer having to spend money on her or hinder her from finding another partner.
The words "burden" felt tailor-made for her.
Unloved by her father, unloved by her mother, and with no possibility of being with Zhan Jingrui.
Perhaps, disappearing forever with his child would be the best ending for her.
He Yao suddenly lost the will to fight.
She was so tired, her arm hurt so much, she just wanted to rest.
"Fine. You're right. Whatever you say. I won't be stubborn anymore, alright?"
Her face pale, she swayed under everyone's varied gazes and went upstairs.
Downstairs, the adults gathered and discussed heatedly how to extort more money from the Zhan family.
Aunt: "Houses in that area aren't worth much. Yao Yao's whole life has been ruined by them, we can't just let it go so easily. We must demand more in nutrition fees."
Uncle: "Exactly, look at their attitude. If they don't comply, we'll blow this up, see who's more afraid. I have a friend whose brother-in-law knows someone at the TV station..."
He Yao returned upstairs and fell asleep immediately.
She had a lot of chaotic dreams, and was later woken by the pain in her arm.
Her phone had been confiscated, there was no alarm clock in the room, she didn't know the time. It was pitch black all around, and the house was quiet.
She figured it must be the middle of the night, and everyone else was asleep.
Good, this was exactly what she was waiting for.
Once she truly made up her mind, she didn't feel any pain anymore.
She dragged her sore arm downstairs gently, went to the kitchen, found a half-barrel of cooking oil, and slowly poured it under the cabinets and sofas.
As she had expected, it was too little.
Fortunately, she had cash at her and Zhan Jingrui's place, so she could go back to get more.
As long as she could buy enough oil and pour it everywhere, everything she hated in here, including herself, would turn to ash.
Although she had to walk back, she had plenty of strength now.
She quietly slipped out of the door and, holding her arm, began to sprint.
Running and stopping along the way, by the time she returned home, she was sweating profusely.
Unexpectedly, as she opened the door, someone was sitting in the living room.
If He Yao hadn't already resigned herself to death, she would have been terrified.
Their eyes met, and recognizing each other, Hu Jiasheng slowly stood up.
"I'm not mistaken, it really is you."
"It's so late, why are you here?"
He Yao felt no need to answer him. No matter how she behaved, he wouldn't accept her.
She walked straight to the bedroom, pulled open the bedside drawer, found the money, stuffed it into her pocket, and came back out.
As she went to open the door, Hu Jiasheng blocked her path.
"Don't you want to talk to me?"
"Get out of the way."